Electrical dual metronome



1961 P. BlLLOTTl 2,995,056

ELECTRICAL DUAL METRONOME Filed Dec. 5, 1958 32 IN VEN TOR.

Paw. 8/4 4. o 7-7? 33 GLJA JA /g A TTQQNEKs 2,995,056 ELECTRICAL DUAL METRONOME Paul Billotti, 881 7th Ave., New York, N.Y. Filed Dec. 5, 1958, Set. N0. 778,439 1 Claim. (Cl. 84-470) This invention relates to a metronome and refers more particularly to an electrical dual metronome.

Students of music need to acquire a facility for playing at particular ratios of beats because it is required that they play at one rate of beat with one hand and another rate of heat with the other hand. Practicing playing at different rates of beat simultaneously is arduous without the use of a metronome to set the desired ratio and to serve as a guide to the student. The ordinary metronomes of prior art are not capable of producing two diiferent beats simultaneously.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrically operated dual metronome which is not subject to the disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the time required for the learning of beat frequencies through the use of an electrical dual metronome.

An additional object is to provide a greater degree of accuracy in musical instruments by providing an electrically or electronically operable device capable of producing any number of fixed beat ratios.

Other objects will become apparent during the course of the following specification.

The objects of the present invention may be realized by the device of the present invention which provides two series of contrasting tones in various ratios and at various predetermined uniform rates. The device is electrically operated and easily controlled.

A rotatable shaft of controllable speed provides the means of achieving short duration current flows in each of several circuit branches, and the principle of electromagnetism is utilized to produce different identifiable tones at difieernt uniform rates.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a diagram showing the electrical circuit and the mechanical members used in the metronome of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the rotating discs, the conductive strips, and the electric circuit contacts.

FIGURE 3 is a partial section through an electrical dual metronome with parts removed constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The electrical connections of the dual metronome of the present invention, shown in FIGURE 1, include the motor electric circuit 11, the disc electric circuit 12, and the parallel electric branch circuits 13, 14 and 15. A suitable device 16 which is included in the circuits 11 and 12 may be used to convert AC. power to DC. power, if necessary. A double pole switch 17 enables both circuits 11 and 12 to be opened with one operation. A variable resistance 18 in the circuit 11 controls the speed of an electric motor19 provided with a motor shaft 20. On the shaft 20 are mounted three discs 21, 22 and 23 made of insulating material, and which have a series of slots 25 (FIG. 2). Electrically conducting strips 24 are fastened to the discs 21, 22, and 23 by means of bolts 26 extending through the slots 25. The slots enable the strips 24 to be fastened to the discs in any number or configuration desired.

As shown in FIG. 2, strips 24 are electrically connected nited States Patent O 2,995,056 Patented Aug. 8, 1961 ice with one side of electric circuit 12 by means of electric wires 27 mounted on the faces of the discs and connected with a wire 28 mounted on the shaft 20. The wire 28 is connected with a conducting ring 29 fastened on the shaft 20, which is in constant contact with a fixed brush 30 forming a part of the circuit 12.

Each of the parallel branch circuits 13, 14 and 15 is electrically connected to one side of circuit 12 and comprises electric contacts 31, a switch 32, and a solenoid 33. FIGURE 1 further shows three separate tone producing devices cooperating with the three branch circuits. Each of these devices includes a pivot 34 and an arm 35 mounted intermediate its ends upon the pivot 34. One end of the arm 35 carries a hammer 36, while a magnet 37 is mounted on the opposite end of said arm. Tone material, such as a bell '38, is carried by a support 40 close to the hammer '36. A spring 39 is attached to the support 40 and to the arm 35. The pivot 34 is so disposed that the magnet 37 is located adjacent to the solenoid 33.

The tone materials or bells 38 of the various branch circuits may be so constructed as to emit differently sounding tones.

The number of strips 24 mounted on the discs 21, 22, and 23 determines the ratio of beats available on the dual metronome. By varying the number of symmetrically placed strips on the various discs various beat ratios are obtained. By way of example, in FIG. 2 disc 21 has two symmetrically placed strips, disc 22 has three, and disc 23 has four. The result is a beat ratio of 2:3:4 in respective order. Thus, if a beat ratio of 2:3 is desired, discs 21 and 22 would be made operative (in a manner to be described later), and similarly a beat ratio of 3:4 and 2:4 would be obtained by making discs 22 and 23, and discs 21 and 23, operative, respectively. The number of beats per minute is controlled by means of the variable resistance 18, which controls the speed of rotation of the shaft 20. An indicator panel 41 mounted upon the case 10 (FIGURE 3) can easily be correlated with the variable resistance 18 by any suitable known means. By co-axially mounting the pointer of the indicator and the contact arm of the variable resistance, the setting of the pointer of the indicator 41 to a desired rate of beat will automatically adjust the variable resistance 18 to the desired value.

The electrical dual metronome of the present invention is operated in the following manner:

To begin operation of the electrical dual metronome it is first determined what ratio of beats and what rate of beats is desired. The beat ratio desired is obtained by closing switches 32 in the two branch circuits corresponding to the discs having that ratio of conductive strips 24. Thus, if a 3 :4 ratio of beats (for example 60 and beats per minute) is desired, switches 32 in branch circuits 14 and 15 (marked III and IV in FIG. 3) would be closed, since it was previously indicated (FIG. 2) that discs 22 and 23, which correspond to circuits 14 and 15, respectively, have conductive strips 24 in the ratio of 3 :4. The variable resistance 18 can then be regulated to indicate 60 on the line of indicator panel 41 corresponding to circuit 14, and since the dial is calibrated for all the circuits, the panel indicator would at the same time point to 80 on the indicator panel line corresponding to circuit 15 (FIG. 3). The double pole switch 17' is then closed, thereby causing motor circuit 11 to close, motor 19 to operate and shaft 20 to rotate. Since, as an example a ratio of 3:4 was desired, the switch 32 in branch circuit 13 is left open but switches 32 in circuits 14 and 15 are closed.

Shaft 20 has fastened to it an electrically conductive ring 29, which rotates with shaft 20 and is in constant contact with brush 30 of circuit 12. From ring 29 circuit 12 continues through wire 28 to wires 27 fastened on 3 the face of the discs 21, 22, and 23 (FIG. 2). Wires 27 continue circuit 12 up to the conductive strips 24.

Each of the circuits 13, 14 and 15 has an electric contact 31, so disposed with respect to the disc corresponding to that circuit, that it contacts each of the strips 24 on said corresponding disc once during each revolution of the shaft 20. If a switch 32 of a particular circuit is closed, the circuit 12 is closed through that branch circuit each time a strip 24 comes in contact with electric contact 31. FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, show one strip 24 of disc 22 in contact with contact 31, while there is shown no contact involving strips of discs 21 and 23. Thus, at this instant circuit 14 is closed and circuits 13 and 15 are open.

Using circuit 15, as an example, with switch 32 closed, during the time interval a strip 24 of disc 23 is in contact with contact 31 a current passes through the circuit. The current passing through solenoid 33 creates a temporary magnetic field in the vicinity of solenoid '33 for the duration of contact of members 24 and 31. This magnetic field attracts the magnet 37 which causes arm 35 to pivot about the pivot 34, whereby hammer 36 also rotates about pivot 34 and strikes the tone material 38, causing a distinct tone.

As the strip 24 continues to rotate with disc 23, its contact with contact 31 is broken, circuit 15 is opened, nocurrent flows through solenoid 33, and the magnetic field collapses. The force attracting magnet 37 no longer being in existence, spring 39 rotates the arm 35 (and thus the hammer 36 and magnet 37) back into equilibrium position. When the circuit is again closed by the next strip 24 coming in contact with contact 31 the process is repeated.

Thus, when two branch circuits are operating simultaneously, as described above, a plurality of difierent tones at different pre-determined uniform rates is achieved.

Among the advantages of the present invention are case and accuracy of control of both the rate and ratio of beats, the high rate of beats obtainable at a low shaft velocity by increasing the number of strips 24 per disc, and the fact that electrical operation makes for more uniform quality of tone. The metronome described herein is also compact and easily manufactured.

It is apparent that the example shown above has been given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that it is subject to many variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

An electrical dual metronome, comprising, an electric motor, a source of electrical energy connected with said motor, a rotatable motor shaft driven by and being part of said motor, a variable resistance connected in series with said motor, whereby the speed of said motor shaft is varied by said variable resistance, a plurality of discs of insulating material mounted on said motor shaft and rotatable therewith, a variable number of strips of conducting material adjustably mounted on said discs and conductively connected with said source, a plurality of contacts of conductive material, each being adjacent to a separate one of said plurality of discs and disposed to engage each strip on said disc once during one rotation of said shaft, a plurality of electric switches each conductively connected in series with a separate contact, a plurality of solenoids each conductively connected in series with a separate switch, whereby a magnetic field is created adjacent to each of said solenoids during the interval when the contact engages the strips and the switch is closed; and a plurality of tone producing devices, each comprising, a pivot, an arm rotatably supported intermediate its length by said pivot, a hammer and a magnet mounted at opposite ends of said arm, tone material disposed adjacent to said hammer, a support, a spring connecting said support and said arm, said tone producing devices disposed so that each of said magnets is disposed in the magnetic field of one of said solenoids, said magnetic field attracting said magnet toward the solenoid, whereby said arm and said hammer rotate about said pivot, said hammer striking said tone material, whereby the plurality of tone producing devices produce a plurality of different tones at different predetermined uniform rates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,232,176 Baker July 3, 1917 1,964,909 Garity July 3, 1934 2,078,505 Morrison Apr. 27, 1937 2,582,196 Duncan Jan. 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,581 Great Britain of 1894 

